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Inmate charged with escaping federal prison 3 times

An inmate at the federal prison camp in Atlanta has been indicted for escaping and then re-entering on three separate occasions in 2016, prosecutors said.

Jaye L. Thomas, 36, of Dalton, escaped from the facility for minimum-security inmates March 22, April 4 and Sept. 25, U.S. Attorney John Horn said in a news release. The prison camp is part of the U.S. penitentiary.

Surveillance photos allegedly showed Thomas in a wooded area outside prison property, according to the release. Investigators eventually obtained evidence and eyewitness testimony to support the escape charges.

“The federal indictment of federal inmate Thomas once again clearly reflects that those inmates walking away or otherwise leaving the grounds of United States Penitentiary Atlanta property will be dealt with as escapees,” said David J. LeValley, agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta office.

“The potential harm to the public as well as the breakdown of order that these individuals can cause these corrections facilities when they re-enter with contraband items that have included alcohol and cell/smart phones is significant and should not and will not be tolerated.”

Thomas was convicted in January 2015 of possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, according to the release. Under his current sentence, he is scheduled to be released Dec. 28, 2022.